I guess one can’t believe everything that’s on the Internet. I now know you didn’t become a spokesman for Speaker Madigan until AFTER you were a page. But, seriously, come on over to the mansion after the State of the State, let’s have a beer and have one of our classic battles about the future of Illinois. If there’s one thing that you and I have in common it’s that we care deeply about the future of our state. See you Wednesday.

Governor Rauner

How cute.

Mrs. Rauner will also be there, but I told the governor’s guys that she might not want to be in the room for the first 20 minutes or so.

If it didn’t fit with public statements that seem to suggest an inability to deal with reality, i’d say this is a pretty sincere effort to mend some fences. Given what I’ve seen out of their office in the past two weeks, it looks like an “I’m sorry you misunderstood me” apology

From one recent heart attack victim to another, go easy on the beer. And you might want to clear this with your Cardiologist first. Interviewing him at work is one thing, on his home turf after hours could be quite another.

To paraphrase. “Rich sorry I claimed you were a shill for all thats wrong with IL because you were a page for MJM. You became a shill after you were a page.”

I kind of think you should insist Dianna be there the whole time. After all a bout of fisticuffs might limit your access. That and if the subject turns to LSSI and CC, as it should, she needs to pick a side.

I thought your cardiologist suggested wine for your occasional imbibing. Therefore, you should send back a note to the Gov requesting a bottle of his finest. Have the bottle opened in front of you, and this would eliminate the need for a taster too.
Good Luck.

Rich
I am sure you will remind him that he wanted to be Governor. He and his crew knew they did not control the GA yet he said he could work with Madigan. He said he was not out to get the unions. He said his turnaround agenda would produce great economic benefits. He did not want to extend the 5% tax yet has shown neither the budget cuts or the revenue increase to balance a budget. As we were told back in school, show your work. Seems when he did it went south and he wanted to disparage you for calling him out.

Very interesting how this guy works. 30 years ago (give or take a decade) Big Jim invited the Union guys over to the Mansion for a beer. This guy invites the one person who daily informs the public on his activities without the ‘gloss’ of regurgitated press release.
I know you’ll go because you want the access, but Rich, remember this incident going forward. Always remember.

This episode is everything you need to know about the governor and his administration. Use of thinly (at best) sourced nonsense, conviction that it is true simply because they have uttered it, a steadfast refusal to admit any error or mistake, and then a completely insincere ‘turnaround’ to some other item they will bungle.

you mite want to take a couple of those senior citizens that are losing there meals on wheels with you. offer them a free beer and a meatball, mite be the only thing they eat and drink for the rest of the week.

no Rauner fan, but I think the note was nice and should be accepted in a non snark, but rather funny sarcastic manner. Rich, I hope you take the Gov. up on his offer because the more he hears from folks like you the better.

I was hoping you might ask him more about the effects of his so-called turnaround agenda on the working folks impacted by it? How much does he figure to cut the take home pay of both public and private union workers to get his desired effect? How much do their healthcare costs have to increase to make his business buds happy? What evidence is there that privatizing public employees jobs will save money? What keeps the workers from making less and the owners just pocketing the savings? What keeps out of state companies from low wage states coming in to bid jobs in Illinois putting more Illinois residents out of work? How is everything he wants to do anything but a ploy to create a more desperate and unhappy workforce?

Will you follow up with the Governor on the report that he has no state e-mail account, no state cell phone while banning the use of private assets to run state government? IL Times this week broke the story.
Inquiring minds want to know!

1) That’s not an apology.
2) Your classic battles haven’t effected his repugnant behavior and ideological destruction of our state.
3) Attitudes and Behaviors. Attitude- he says he cares about the future of our State. Behavior- doing every SINGLE thing he can to attack it’s citizens, lower wages, destroy a stable business environment, eviscerate social services both public and private, all for some unproven (actually Kansas proves the opposite) ideology.

Look Rich, we are Southern Illinoisans, I get it. We don’t like to think and act ill towards anyone. It’s just not part of our DNA. It’s an endearing quality that contributed towards our survival by building community on the plains of Illinois. We are a sharing and giving folk. But against my very nature I’m going to say that what Governor Rauner is doing is unforgivable. I do not sit in the seat of judgment. I believe God does. God may forgive him but I cannot find it in my heart. I experience and see the suffering caused specifically by Governor Rauners decisions every day. Sure Madigan and the DEMS have done wrong but people were making it barely under them. The wanton destruction visited upon the people of Illinois over ideology is unforgivable. You had to shut down the blog early the other day over the LSSI letter. Where did that righteous anger go? All forgiven over a beer at the mansion? I know you have private battles with him and I’m sure they are epic. And yet I am saddened that it seems our states greatest journalist will let him off with a good tongue lashing. I can imagine that for a journalist access is everything. But is there a point when access turns into to tacit approval for what is being done. I don’t believe impartiality is possible anymore. One is either complicit with the carnage or against it in attitude and behavior. I would not accept his invitation for beer. He called you a Madigan puppet. That is a behavior. My fellow Southern Illinoisan, he is NOT your friend, he is not your colleague. He is your elected Governor and deserves respect and decorum. But until he stops destroying our state over ideology I would stop giving him legitimacy by your very presence. He does not deserve the PRIVILEGE of discussion and debate with you. He certainly has not listened to you. (actually I don’t know that but suspect it) I would think that if he listened to you things would be one hell of a lot better.

Remember those who serve our state.

Remember the poor, elderly and disabled of our State.

Remember your own Southern Illinois values.

I urge you to take a stand, refuse to enable and legitimize with your presence and wisdom.

“after the State of the State,” . . . . Once you hear Rauner’s State of the State address you might be in for a long binge drinking session. I have a feeling it’s gonna be one lie after another after another after another. Be very wary of Rauner. This wasn’t an apology, it was another dig at you.

Of course one can only guess at what is behind our Governor’s love for the State. Unless he loves Illinois as a sales building opportunity it’s hard to explain his decisions. Maybe he is suffering from a reverse sort of Stockholm syndrome. So many hostages to love.

I know its your job but as time goes on my lack of respect for the governor has sunk pretty low. Not sure if I would want to even bother having a beer with him. From a government relations standpoint I probably would. Just to make sure I didn’t tick him off. But enjoying that beer would be hard.

Perhaps you could appeal to the Gov that not all of Madigan minions should be painted with the same brush stroke and many former staff care about state gov’t as he does. You can very well say this about many other former staffers of Daniels, Phillips, and Jones administrations. Also, I hope Gov realizes that personal vindicta against former staff is not very gubertorial like for a Chief executive who is suppose to set an example of leadership. Attacking former partisan staff by claiming their judgement is somehow still influenced by their former boss is ridiculous. Almost sounds to close to the tactics that Trump uses to demonize people. Perhaps Rich, you can enlighten our Governor and his senior staff to this point! He always says he needs to hear the truth from others when he’s screwing up. Leave your gloves at home, Rich. Good luck!!!

this sounds a bit like what the mayor was describing…. talks trash to media but acts decent behind closed doors.

just imagine if prvt Rauner started acting decent in press conferences instead of try to use his military attack/distract startegy to aboid hard issues… say insead of if just addressed the issues… he reminds me of Fonzie trying to appologize…. and dont get me started on his shark jumping…. anyway State of the State would be a great time for gov to focus his turnaround agenda on work comp reform, property tax freeze, and making state workers contribute more for retirement and to back away from the union destruction and anti prevailing wage agenda….

It’s about TRUST. That’s all most people want. We may disagree about policies but if people are upfront and honest, must people will put aside differences.
Problem for a lot of people is the Governor is not viewed as someone we can trust and in that manner, he is not workin’ for us but is just like the politicians he bashes?
That’s the biggest issue people I know have with the Governor. Had he ran his campaign and told the electorate what his plan was, what it was going to do, and how many people he was going to affect, maybe people would feel different. Or he would have not won the election….so the governor is in his own corner that he created. He must think we can just outspend everyone or he must think he just knows better than all of us do.
His comments yesterday again go back to the issue of trust and can we believe what he is saying.
That is what I would ask the Governor about.

It seems more obvious each day Gov. Rauner thinks he is a “great man” surrounded by the less gifted. If he wants to do something it has to be the right thing to do because he wants to do it. He believes his place in history is all that matters.

This blog is mostly inside baseball that, dont get me wrong, is very important but not as important as the broader narrative shaping up from Evanston to Effingham. The Gov’s first strategy when he faced resistance was to control the broader narrative (hence the summer madigan ads). When he concluded, like so many already had, that those ads would move him further away from a deal he stopped.

Now his efforts seem to focus on inside baseball like more control over GOP political strategy, hand picking open legislative seats, and meddling in Madigans caucus. But one always has to remember is that inside baseball is Madigan’s playground.

Those governors who could play inside baseball while also affecting the broader narrative were successful. A la Edgar, Thompson and Ryan. Respect from people who read this blog will only come when Rauner and the super crew can demonstrate a severely needed rational and intelligent political strategy.

Burn down the house is neither a smart inside tactic nor a winning broader political strategy. Find one that can be both and this blog will respect you guys.

The snaky-playful manner is to get the invitation past the awkward stage.

This is also a way for “Rauner” to seem to wrap Rich around himself as “like-minded”, trading off Rich’s persona and temperament as Rauner’s own.

This also sets the stage to apologize, but leave a public repudiation of his own words in limbo, and saving face while apologizing to the slighted… and having a written word stating how he feels he (Rauner) is just like Rich, the man he misrepresented.

This is not the apology, was never intended to BE the apology.

Can’t judge this as an apology, just study it as to what it leads to after.

We put this in the wrong spot
We know lots of folks who worked for the Speaker and we can report that is highly unlikely that Capt Fax would have made the cut.
If the SuperStars pay any attention to anythin’ that should have been clear months ago.

If I am reading you close to reality, then it would seem to confirm what I think about you. At 10:07, the comment referred to, “Rich has journalistic integrity…”, but I also believe that includes principles. A characteristic lacking nowadays…

20-30 years ago, the idea of a state executive inviting, say, an independent print journalist to come in for a chat would be unheard of. Only big media-print and the tv networks got to shape our thinking.

The fact that Rauner said that Rich worked for Madigan isn’t the issue. Rauner said that Rich COULDN’T BE TRUSTED and he gave the lie of Rich working for Madigan as “evidence”. Ironic, considering the source, to say the least.

REPLY: Just figuring that out? Yes, the internet is a lot like your press office, only with less snark.

2. I now know you didn’t become a spokesman for Speaker Madigan until AFTER you were a page.

REPLY: See #1

3. But, seriously, come on over to the mansion after the State of the State, let’s have a beer and have one of our classic battles about the future of Illinois.

REPLY: Your belief that you are battling everyone who disagrees with you, particularly in the press, is 75 percent of what is wrong with your administration. And there is nothing “classic” about a debate with you over state policy. It’s like explaining to a three year old why they can’t have ice cream right now.

4) If there’s one thing that you and I have in common it’s that we care deeply about the future of our state.

REPLY: You’ve demonstrated how you deeply care for your kid’s future by moving mountains to ensure they attend the best high schools, throwing them lavish, magazine-worthy weddings, erecting buildings in their name on a college campus, and taking them on exoticly enriching vacations around the globe. The feelings you’ve exhibited for the future of Illinois are the exact opposite. Let’s just hope for your sake that your kids treat you better in your old age than you treat everyone else in theirs.

While I understand and agree with Honeybear, SOMEONE has to talk to each other. Showing up and discussing anything with him doesn’t mean you agree or are even “ok” with what he says or does. Please keep shining a light on what is going on Mr. Miller. If it takes this meeting to do that, I sure appreciate the effort. Maybe somehow that will help those who serve the state, the elderly, the poor, the disabled. Better than nothing…he wants us to quit.

Funny how the gov assumes Rich doesn’t have something else to do after the sots. Doesn’t wait for a response, just straight to “See you there”. Not a big deal, just a little rude. Or maybe it fits a certain personality type we’re not supposed to name here.

Rich
So i was wrong, so what, it was fun to needle you. You may not have worked for madigan before, but you sure are carrying his water now. Come by, for a beer and a “classic battle”, meaning you throw bleeding heart sob stories at me, and i tell you thats the price of reform. Madigan and the unions have ruined this state, and i am the guy to destroy them. The speech is going to be great. Its taking longer than i expected to enact real reform, but that will just make the victory that much sweeter.
Bruce

Wow, sorry Rich — join the ranks of telling the truth, disagreeing, and being called out. What a guy… no wonder we don’t have a budget. I thought this type of schoolyard bullying and name calling left people when they became teenagers.

Why does that sentence read so oddly to me? It reminds me of a wannabe trying to suggest a much longer and stronger relationship with someone than is actually real. Seriously……how many of “our classic battles” have actually ever taken place? Weird.

Rich is a professional. Don’t worry that being invited to have a beer with the Governor is going to suddenly make him forget his journalistic integrity and make him “forgive and forget”. Rauner said Rich wasn’t to be believed/trusted. That’s EVERYTHING to a professional journalist and not something to be shrugged off.

I almost feel sorry for Rauner. He called Rich out and now Bruce is going to have to face something he literally knows nothing about… the truth.

Sarcasm from the rich and powerful is just another form of condescending bullying. I am surprised the Gov’s note didn’t also include, “Sorry you were overly-sensitive to my bombastic misspoken comments. Didn’t know you were so touchy.”

Truly this guy deserves no more patience from you Rich. Yes get the one-on-one, but as a citizen of Illinois seriously give it to him straight. He is absolutely failin’ and it’s time to end this zealotry. He (and his wife) lied to everyone, bought the governorship, took our state hostage, even severely harmed your favorite charity with his misguided cheap political theatrics, and finally insulted your work.

A bully like him deserves the sternest words. And refuse the beer too.

++“If there’s one thing that you and I have in common it’s that we care deeply about the future of our state.”++
I’ve got to stop drinking coffee while reading your blog - - it is painful when it shoots out my nose.

“Mrs. Rauner will also be there, but I told the governor’s guys that she might not want to be in the room for the first 20 minutes or so.”
Rich, you have every right to give the man a tongue lashing. However, I’m not sure it will change his mind, but it will make you feel better.

RNUG the percent of worker contributions has been negotaiated and changed many times. I think the last increase was early 2000s. it went up different amounts depending on the retirment systems, but the basic GRF contribution went up something like 2% spread put over 2 years. afscme agreed to the increase btw (as did the other unions).

A Democratic page in 1985 would have been hired by Clerk Jack O’Brien and officially been working for the Clerk of the House. While the Speaker could certainly have input into getting someone on generally there is was no connection between the offices.
Stag back in the day was considered the worst beer one could drink. I hope, for Rich’s sake, they’ve improved it..

++“Stag” Beer now owned by the Russians. Unless Rauner can bring it back to Belleville , wouldn’t drink a Stag or anything else with our counterfeit Governor.”++
No wonder Rauner likes ‘Stag’ it was outsourced from IL labor.

I know its not a popular opinion, but i wouldn’t go. He made you apart of a story in order to advance his agenda. Even worse, it was all false. I would tell him your professional ethics now preclude you from these types of off the record meetings. He changed the game and now he needs to live with the new rules.

“I guess one can’t believe everything that’s on the Internet. You’re gonna have to teach me how to keep people’s loyalty without offering them a job. But, seriously, come on over to the mansion after the State of the State, let’s have a beer and have one of our classic battles about the future of Illinois. If there’s one thing that you and I have in common it’s that we care deeply about our own futures. See you Wednesday.”

Mama, God love you but taking me would be a disaster. The toll of all this upon me has me swinging from rabid wild badger to weepy sullen. Rich would most likely be quite embarrassed by Mrs. Rauner having to coax me out from under a desk at the mansion with girl scout cookies. No if this is to be done it will be done by a professional. My hopes are pinned to Rich. I did find Rich a good quote.

“No society can surely be flourishing and happy when part of the members are poor and miserable.”
– Adam Smith, Wealth Of Nations

I also hope that Rich will remember that AFSCME is made up of Illinoisans like me. I hope that Rich will argue against sacrificing public servants for a deal when the crisis necessitating the deal was manufactured by the Governor. We have not met Rich, but some day we will. Rauner is holding the gun to my (AFSCME) head and said he will release the others if he can get away with me. Please don’t condone that deal. I’ll look you in the eyes some day and ask you if you agreed with it. Look, I know that’s how it’s going to go down. We’re going to get sold down the river. I want to hear you say ” I told him not to do it.” Taking hostages, destroying lives, causing financial harm, hurting the vulnerable is wrong. It is just wrong. The bad economy or “business environment” is not justification for economic violence.

CapFax Stag Summit, scene 1: Rich matches the gov’s beer class, entering the room with one of those old white generic “BEER” six packs dangling from his little finger. Oscar rushes ahead to pay a quick visit to the nearest dining room table leg. Chris Hansen’s film crew busts in behind Rich. When the gov’s eyebrows reach to the top of his head, the moment is captured on film. Rich smiles faintly, knowing that the proceeds from the captured image will enable him to join the Venerated Wine Club.

I know its not a popular opinion, but i wouldn’t go. He made you apart of a story in order to advance his agenda. Even worse, it was all false. I would tell him your professional ethics now preclude you from these types of off the record meetings. He changed the game and now he needs to live with the new rules. ==

Agree 100%. If this IS a 1 on 1, just after the SOTS, how does raunner find this ethical? Oh, right: He doesn’t care. Bet he’s lookin’ for a way to use the meet-up, tho for his own purposes.

I don’t think it was meant in snark or dismissal, I think it was an honest (though clearly failing) attempt at humor.

This doesn’t mean I have any agreement with anything else he has said or done to date, and I’m probably the exact opposite of a Rauner fan, but I think we should always be careful about seeing only the worst in everything someone says or does.

Which is a long-winded way of saying: a little benefit of the doubt never hurt.

Yes. The 1% increase you refer to was specifically to pay for the 3% compounded AAI. No other change was made.

Increased benefit = increased payment

The employee contribution was also lowered back about 1970 (don’t remember exact year) when it went from uncoordinated (State only) to coordinated (State + SS). The employee contribution to the State dropped back to 3% from about 6% - 7% but the employee also had to make the SS contribution.

Less benefit = less contribution

I will also note that the 1970 choice was a true choice: remain on then existing State plan or go to new state / SS combined plan.

My point, which I think you got, is you can’t change the contribution with a corresponding change to the benefits AND the choice has to be both voluntary and include “keep existing”.

I just keep thinking about how the governor thought that just because someone once worked for the speaker that they would be forever loyal to him, even to the point of purposely misinterpreting data. Yet he donates thousands/tens of thousands/hundreds of thousands/millions of dollars and doesn’t get or rather *expect* that kind of loyalty/influence.

My dad used to drink Stag Beer. I will forever remember drinking Stag with my dad the first time I could go to the bar with him after turning legal age. Trying to hang with him and his buddies I had way to many Stag beers.

The next day I had a killer headache and could crap thru a screen door. Have not had a Stag since. The above would have went down in the early 70’s.

Rich you obviously messed up. This is politics. Rauner doesn’t need you fact checking. Rauner expects the media only to quote what he says, but you exceeded that didn’t you?

Rich you must share in the blame here, you are part of the problem and there will be some pain.

When you meet with the Governor remember that you won’t be apologizing for yourself but for the everyone in the media and anyone else who doesn’t fit into Rauner’s plan.

You may think that you have nothing to apologize for because that was the old status quo which must structurally change through negotiations, in which you don’t have a seat at the table.

Remember the changes aren’t really restrictions of your rights. You must accept these changes if we are to move forward with any possibility of Rauner actually wanting to do the job he was elected to do.

Don’t worry things will be better, when Rauner tells us it’s better until then appease.

But he is the state’s chief law enforcement officer and can’t reasonably expect that an invited conversation with a journalist to discuss state matters and performance of his official duties should remain private.

Yoy would need to calculate the sweet spot, but i think they could sell an offer wherenyou can get age and years of servic crdit, like a 5/5, if you switch to a different Annual adjustment rate. just need to find out how many years can be offered to make it a financial benefit to the state, and atyractive to the employees.

You might be able to sell a 5 & 5 but only if you couldn’t actually haveretire for another 5 or 10 years. An immediate one would be the same as the 2002 ERI which was a financially bad deal for the State’s Pension funds. Then, even if it turned out a bad deal for the state, you would have kicked the can a ways down the road.